Yours and Mine
by Jini
Summary: A collection of short stories that span Naruto and Sakura's lives together. Ch 6 - All lonely children wonder about what their parents were like. Naruto was no exception. Gen drabble.
1. Taking Care

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Author's note: This fic is the tag-along fic to my other story _Now and Then_.

First of all, this is _not_ a sequel. This is just a series of little stories all following the course of Naruto and Sakura's lives together. Also, this fic does not follow any particular chronological order so be sure to expect a lot of jumps back and forth between time line.

As usual, flames are not allowed, but constructive criticism is acceptable.

Enjoy!

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**1 - Taking Care **

"Naruto, could you please give me a hand for a sec?" Sakura's voice carried all the way from the upstairs floor to the little office he had on the level below.

Naruto, who had been reading report files after report files for the entirety of the morning, was thoroughly relieved for the interruption. Not that he would not jump at the smallest opportunity to help his wife—he was just _that _relieved for an excuse to leave paper duty, if only for a little while.

"Yeah, I'm coming," he called back, placing the reports back onto his desk and getting up from his seat.

As he stretched, he felt the knots in his neck and back crack. He grunted with some discomfort. Maybe he'll ask Sakura later for some muscle balm, he thought as he crossed the foyer and trudged slowly up the stairs.

It wasn't until he heard a distinct sound of something _heavy_ breaking, followed by a startled yelp and a couple more consecutive crashes that Naruto instantly forgot all about the stiffness in his limbs and bolted straight up the rest of the steps.

He was in a blind panic when he entered the room. "Sakura?" There was a small cloud of dust that fitted the room. He covered his nose and waved through the air. "Sakura? What happened? Are you okay?"

"It's alright. We're okay, Naruto," said Sakura, who stepped from the corner of where she'd taken cover.

Behind her, clutching at the hem of her long dress was a miniature version of himself. Now at the age of two, Uzumaki Minato was beginning to take after his father: from the bright shock of wild, blonde hair, the wide infectious smile (which was missing several front teeth at the moment) to the unyielding mass of energy that always seemed to go hand in hand with mischief and trouble. People often commented on how much of Naruto he was beginning to resemble. But his eyes were from his mother—a pair of deep, green orbs that were always lit with curiosity.

When he spotted Naruto by the doorway, he automatically came from out of his hiding place, thoroughly excited.

"Dada!" he called, raising his arms up for Naruto to carry him.

As the dust finally settled, Naruto crossed the room to where they were and picked up his son into his arms.

"Hey, little guy," he said, grinning. "What are you and Mommy up to? Looking for dust bunnies?"

Minato just made a series of incoherent words and giggled. "Dada, up! Up!" he said.

Naruto twirled him in the air, making Minato shriek with unbound laughter. The boy clapped his hands together and looked at Sakura eagerly. "Mama, I fly!"

"I know, sweetie, I saw," said Sakura, as she ruffled his hair. At Naruto's questioning stare, she said, "We were trying to clear up the attic—it's absolutely filthy in here."

"I can see that," said Naruto, making a face as he stared at their surroundings.

Half of the room was somewhat organized, thanks to Sakura's quick cleaning skills, while the other remaining half was still at a disarray (the cloud of dust was enough indication that it'd been too long since either of them had cleaned this room)—boxes from shelves had evidently fallen from the place and now the contents were spilled across the floor at their feet.

He gave his wife a pointed look. "I thought we agreed you wouldn't be doing anything strenuous in your condition?"

Sakura placed a hand at her hip. "I wasn't," she said, somewhat defensive now. When Naruto gave her a dubious expression, she said, "I was just trying to clear away some stuff is all."

"By lifting and carrying boxes, Sakura?" said Naruto, his tone both incredulous and reproachful.

Sakura scowled, but it was short-lived. "You're right, sorry," she said with a tired sigh. "It's just… you know how I get. I hate not being able to do anything. My time at the hospital is already limited since you and Tsunade practically banned me from working there—"

"With good reason too," said Naruto as he put their son back down to his feet. "I know you, Sakura. It wouldn't matter if you were two weeks or two days almost in to labor, you'd still go in and work a night shift if you have to."

Sakura rolled her eyes, but did not argue against this. "You won't even let me do anything at home either—"

"I don't want you to strain yourself!"

"And I understand that, I really do," said Sakura as she folded her arms over herself, only it was a little awkward with her protruding stomach in the way. "But Naruto, I'm _pregnant_, not incapacitated. I still have another month left till Kushina is due—that's plenty of time. I can't just sit back and do _nothing_. I mean, you're busy as it is at the office and now you've taken most of the daily chores at home. I want to help, even if it's limited to fluffing the pillows or whatever—the point is: I want to do _something_."

Her face was pinched with a touch of desperation, frustration and irritation. Naruto's eyes softened considerably; he understood her feelings and her thoughts all too well.

Despite this being her second pregnancy, Sakura's mood fluctuations were still on par with the times she was carrying Minato. They already had this particular conversation before (many, many times before in fact) and while he assured her he didn't mind doing extra work around the house, he knew Sakura did. He could tell she felt guilty about it… and maybe a little annoyed with him as well.

She was never one to let someone else do something she can very well do on her own. Her independence was something he'd always admired about her; however, this was one exception Naruto felt he had to put his foot down.

"I know you're upset because it feels like the only thing you can do around here is lift a spoon," he said and chuckled slightly when she huffed—clearly this was the understatement of the century. Nevertheless, he had proved over the years that he could be adamant too, if not more. "But Sakura, you know you aren't supposed to be doing anything too stressful, at least not until the baby is born. I know you're feeling useless, but that's not how I see it. Taking care of me and Minato must be tiring enough already, don't you think?"

Sakura snorted. "Okay. Point taken," she said.

Naruto smiled, heartened that she was finally laughing again. He took her hands and gave them a squeeze.

"You're not useless, okay? You never were. Don't even think that," he said, leaning to kiss her lightly on the lips. "You know how I worry sometimes that's all."

Sakura slipped her arms around his neck as he pressed their foreheads together. "I know," she said quietly, closing her eyes. "You're right. I'm sorry."

He kissed her lips again. "Don't be," he said, his smile growing. "And I guess I am being a little overprotective—"

"A little?" said Sakura, raising a brow.

Naruto made a face at her. "I have the right to be worried. You do too much, Sakura," he said. Looking down at Minato he said, "Don't you agree that Mommy should take it easy?"

Their son stared up at the both of them and grinned—missing teeth and all. "Mama, sleep!"

Sakura laughed and brushed through her son's hair with evident affection. "Alright, alright," she said. To Naruto, she whispered, "No fair. You guys are ganging up on me."

Naruto just grinned. "Only because we love you."

Sakura laughed again, pulling him in for another kiss. When they parted again, she noticed Minato's sleepy state. "Looks like someone's had a bit too much excitement for one day."

Naruto chuckled. "Tell me about it. Alright, kiddo," he said as he picked up Minato again, who yawned widely and then curled into his father's protective embrace. "It's naptime for you."

After Sakura kissed their son on the forehead, Naruto left the room.

It wasn't until Minato was tucked into bed, sound asleep (which took a while to accomplish) that he went back to the attic, where Sakura was sweeping the remaining dust from the floor. When she saw him, she broke into another warm smile—a sight that even to this day still managed to give him butterflies.

He took the broom from her hand—was pleased that she didn't protest for once—and pulled her into his arms. "You don't need to clean up," he said, kissing her on the neck. "I can do it later."

"I was just clearing up the dust bunnies, that's all," she teased, leaning back into him. "Is Minato asleep?"

"Yep," said Naruto, slipping his arms over her stomach. "Out like a light."

Sakura chuckled. "We really need to learn to harness some of that energy one day," she said. "I think we're going to need it for when Kushina is born."

He laughed. "Probably," he agreed. Then, slightly more serious he said, "Are you sure you're alright? That was a pretty big crash." He'd nearly gotten a heart-attack when he heard it. He turned her around so that he could search her face and the rest of her for any sign of injuries. "You're not hurt, are you? How's the baby?" He placed a hand over her round belly and was thoroughly relieved to feel an answering kick to his inquiry.

"We're both okay," she said reassuringly as she put a hand over his own. "Stop worrying, Naruto."

"I know, I know," he said with a small shake of his head. "I can't help it." Staring at their locked hands, he said, with a quiet sigh, "Is it silly of me to want to take care of you all the time?"

"No," was her automatic response.

Of course she didn't mind. It was silly of him to ask, but he thought it was nice being reminded from time to time.

Independent and confident as she was about looking after herself—he knew she was more than capable of doing so, even without his help—it didn't make him want to try any less.

And she was always grateful, always understanding and open to this need of his. She may complain about it during the occasions when she was feeling particularly moody, but he knew she'd never turn him down for wanting to take care of her. She was always appreciative of everything he did for her.

He knew this every time she kissed him goodnight after a long day of both work and chores. It was in the way she made him breakfast, the eggs and toast and coffee much warmer and tastier in his mouth when he chewed. It was in the way his shirts were always pressed clean and smelt like soap. It was in the way she threw her arms around his neck, whether it was to cry about her added weight or to welcome him home—it was always done with more affection and less time letting go.

He knew it in the way she made love to him—there was more heat involved, more need and aggression; her scorching touch and burning lips and skin would stay with him long after the sun went up, where he'd wake to soft kisses, gentle hands and the smell of her hair all wrapped around him.

He knew it in the way she told him she loved him. No matter how many times he heard it, it was always said without weariness or force, but always with simplicity and meaning because it was the truth. It was in the way she looked at him—like he'd personally hung every star overhead.

He knew this whenever Minato woke up crying and he'd volunteer to get up, even if he'd already gone up once or twice before already—she'd smile that sleepy but thankful smile of hers and no matter how strained his muscles felt or how dead-beat he was from the day's events, he knew he never regretted taking on more than he did.

Yes, it was worth it. She was always worth it.

"And," she began, tilting her head up to meet his eyes, "is it silly of _me_ to want to take care of you too?"

It was silly of her to ask and he knew she knew it too, but like his own reasons he knew why she did it.

It was his turn to assure her this time.

Leaning in so that their foreheads touched, he said, while smiling, "Never."

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A/N: How's that for the start of this series? It was actually supposed to start off a lot differently, but I changed a few things and I think I like this version better.

Anyways, I hope you guys like this. I'll get started with the other snippets as soon as I can.

In the mean time, please let me know what you guys think! :)


	2. Breaking the Habit

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Author's note: Sorry this took so long. My computer contracted a virus a couple days after I posted this fic and when I realized I couldn't fix it from there, I had no choice but to reboot my entire laptop from scratch and reinstall everything. The good news is that I'd managed to save all my files in time—so there was no sob story me losing my stuff—but writing became close to an impossibility for me these past two weeks since after my laptop was restored as almost all of my applications had been wiped from the system, including MS Word. But things are back to normal now, so there shouldn't be any more delays for this fic. Hopefully.

A big thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter; your thoughts and encouragements are greatly appreciated.

This chapter is a little more somber than the first one, but this was inspired in light of the recent manga chapters.

Well, enjoy.

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**2 – Breaking the Habit **

He had picked her up from work, as it was their usual routine, but right away he could tell something was off. She greeted him just a little too brightly and her smile was a little too forced to be real, but it was her eyes that gave her away. He knew Sakura enough that when she was happy—truly, insanely happy—her eyes shined, made the greenness in them more vibrant and clear, and it made her whole face light up.

She was almost entirely quiet during dinner—had only given him one-word answers and more strained smiles—it was as if she was in another world altogether. He wondered what was occupying her thoughts, wondered what could possibly have such a strong hold on her attention that it rendered everything else into background noise, although in the back of his mind he had a feel he already knew what it was.

He didn't have to think twice about whom it was she'd been thinking about. It was the same for him too—had been the same for almost three years now. They were always thinking about _him_.

When he offered to walk her home, like the usual, she had slipped her hand into his and the grip she had was borderline painful. However, he did not utter a word, not a single one—even when she suddenly requested going to his place instead, he didn't say anything; simply nodded and tugged her along.

At his place, he didn't bat an eyelash when she headed for the bathroom with a couple of his clothes and came out, seconds later, dressed in one of his shirts (which looked several sizes too big on her) and a pair of old shorts.

He didn't think twice when she crawled into his bed and patted the leftover bit of space that was left and looked at him with those unseeing, green eyes—he threw his shirt over his head and slid beneath the blankets beside her.

He didn't have to even ask if he could wrap his arm around her—she was already snuggling under the curve of his arm and pressing her face onto the side of his neck, hands coming around his waist to hold him closer.

For a little while they stayed that way; her legs tucked between his while callused fingers rubbed at the juncture between her neck and shoulder and nothing but silence to fill in the spaces between.

That was when she broke through the quiet:

"Hey, Naruto…" she began.

"Hm?" he said, eyes still staring at the ceiling, but he shifted just a little closer to her—an evident indication he was listening.

"Have… have you ever thought about giving up?" she asked.

"Giving up on what?" he said quietly, although he sneaking suspicion on what it was about and it made something at the pit of his stomach sink with dread.

He kept his eyes trained to the ceiling, his face neutral; he knew that if he should look at her now, see the answer on her face, it would confirm everything he'd already been thinking and he wasn't in the right frame of mind to prepare himself for whatever that was just yet. All he knew was he didn't want to think about it.

However, he didn't have the position to because Sakura went straight for the point.

"On… on Sasuke-kun," she said, her voice barely a whisper, but Naruto thought she might as well have screamed at him. He barely caught himself flinching. That one word alone was enough to cause a ringing in his ears, so loud, it was like listening to echoing thunder—it everywhere: _SasukeSasukeSasukeSasuke_ over and over again and it was beginning to hurt his ears from listening to it but it wasn't stopping.

So that had been what she was thinking about, he thought.

For a moment he couldn't answer her; his throat seemed too dry to muster the effort to speak, but then finally—as if he'd been hold his breath (and in a way, he had)—he said, in a surprisingly even voice, "Yes." And, with another sharp intake of breath before releasing, he muttered, "Many times."

Sakura tilted her head so that she was looking at him—like really looking at him, as if she was seeing another side to him she'd never known before. Naruto wasn't quite sure what that look entailed or what it meant, but the twist in his gut was growing exponentially tighter the longer she continued to stare at him and not say anything.

For a second, he thought maybe he had disappointed her somehow by answering her truthfully and that the admittance of his actual feelings disgusted her more than it hurt her. He felt a bubble of anxiety and panic overcome him at the thought of her suddenly getting up and leaving—he'd follow her if she did, he'd beg and beg forever until she forgave him because he didn't know what he'd do anymore if he were to lose her too.

He already felt horrible with himself—already felt disgusted enough as it is with these small and yet frequent lapses in judgment on his part—he would not be able to stand it if she were to hate him too for coming to think this way. How could he even think about giving up on the one person he had considered a brother? And what about his life-long promise to bring him back—was he going back on that too—when he swore he wouldn't?

He was worse than scum. He was a filthy hypocrite—whatever happened to his nindo?

He waited for the moment when she'd untangle herself from him, get up and off the bed, shoot him that look of utter repulsion before walking out of his life—quite possibly forever. He waited and waited until it became almost unbearable and painful, but that moment did not come—no matter how long he laid there, waiting, the end did not come. Instead, she pressed her cheek to his shoulder, meshed their legs closer and just sighed—a sound that made Naruto want to cry in relief because it meant nothing had changed between them… she wasn't appalled by him… he hadn't lost her after all…

"Me too," she said after awhile, voice so soft that Naruto thought maybe he heard wrong. But she met him square in the eyes and said with a solemn nod of her head, "Me too…"

And it was his turn to look at her differently.

"It's just…" she started and took a deep breath, "it's been three years you know? And we're no closer to getting him back than we were the first time."

Naruto's grip tightened on her shoulder. "We'll get him back," he said firmly. "Sakura-chan, I'll—"

"But what if I was wrong and Sasuke-kun really doesn't want to come back?" she interrupted, staring at him meaningfully. "What if he's changed for the worse and we've lost him for _good _this time?"

"Then I'll drag his ass back if I have to," he said through gritted teeth. "I'll bring that bastard back whether he wants to or not, I swear I will. Don't worry, Sakura-chan, I wont go back on my promise—"

"I knew you'd say that, I just knew it," she said, look sad. "I don't hold you to that promise anymore, Naruto—I've realized I'd been wrong to ask that much of you. It was selfish of me to put that level of commitment onto your shoulders. All…all I cared about at the time was getting Sasuke-kun back that I failed to see how much _you_ were hurting too. So it's okay, Naruto, it's enough—"

"Wait, wait—Sakura-chan…" he said, slightly alarmed. He angled himself so that they were fully staring each other in the face. "What are you saying?"

She stared down at her lap. "Maybe we have been chasing an illusion," she said, her brows furrowing together. "Sometimes… sometimes I think maybe we should just accept the fact that Sasuke-kun doesn't want to come back anymore and move on with our lives."

His blue eyes widened. "You don't mean that…" he said. "You can't."

He had entertained the prospect of giving up before, certainly; had even considered carrying it out a few times, but not once—not once—had he actually succumb to the temptation of doing what she was suggesting they'd do now.

Sakura bit her lip. "And what if I do?" she said and he went quiet.

This was Sakura he was looking at. Sakura who'd been in love with Sasuke since the beginning; Sakura who'd watched and dreamed and smiled at Sasuke like he was her own persona eighth wonder of the world; Sakura who'd cried and begged for him to stay; Sakura who had asked _him_, Naruto, to save Sasuke when she couldn't—Sakura who'd trained for two years and vowed to bring him back.

"You must think horribly of me, Naruto," she said, smiling miserably at his expression. "I won't blame you if you hate me for this."

When he found his voice again, it was calm. "You know I don't," he said, shaking his head, the corner of his lips quirking slightly.

"I…I just want this to stop," she whispered and her bottom lip was trembling; her eyes gleaming with unshed tears. "It hurts—it hurts so much that I just want it all to _stop_—"Her face was beginning to look desperate, frantic now, "I just want to make the pain to go away but it won't. I want Sasuke-kun to come back with us, but he _won't_. I want to give up but I _can't_. I tell myself every day that this will be the day where it all ends but it never does. I just keep going—"

He didn't let her finish. He slipped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her to him—almost crushing her with the weight and strength of his embrace. Sakura's arms came up around him and she was hugging him back, just as fiercely. She dug her face into his chest and burst into tears—her sobs weren't quiet or soft; no, they were loud and broken and wretched and tore away at Naruto's heart the more he listened to it.

When she finally calmed down, they were lying back on his bed again; her face against his chest and his arms wrapped securely around her. He was staring up at the ceiling and tracing invisible patterns with eyes, his mind far away.

He thought of the olden days. He thought of Team Seven—of him, Sakura, Kakashi and Sasuke, together—because a once upon a time, they had been together. Those days seemed so far away now, seemed so out of reach and kept getting farther still.

If he was smart he'd have stopped chasing those days a long time ago—if he was sensible, had common sense, he'd have closed that chapter of his life and move on. But he couldn't. Whether he wanted to or not, he just couldn't bring himself to let go of the memories.

"Sakura-chan," he said, "I'm going to bring Sasuke back. This is not just about keeping my promise anymore. This is about us getting back what we've lost. I don't care how long it will take—I'll bring him back, one way or another." He clenched his fist up at the ceiling, his blue eyes dark and determined. "I won't go back on my word."

Sakura wasn't surprised by his claim. She sat up and looked at him, her green eyes—once puffy and red—were clear and resolute beneath the moonlight.

"Together then," she said.

He nodded. "Together."

Because they knew… no matter what they wanted for themselves, no matter how badly they wanted for all this to end, they knew for a fact that they wouldn't—couldn't—ever carry it out.

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A/N: More angst than I expected, but I really believe that despite their determination on the matter, Naruto and Sakura probably had some moments of wanting to call it quits because—c'mon—no one could chase after someone for that long and not think about giving up at least once.

Again, feedback would be nice. Flames aren't allowed but I will accept constructive criticism.


	3. Playing with Fire

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Author's Note: So this took longer than expected. Let's just say I'm a real jinx with technology. A couple weeks ago I said my laptop had a virus, but right after I said that there wouldn't be anymore delays after it was fixed—something else happened: my brother spilt water on my touchpad and now the ruddy screen won't appear any more every time I turn it on. And this happened _right after_ I updated chapter two, I am not lying. Anyway, I'm currently borrowing my aunt's laptop so updates for this may be slow—slower than usual that is, but I'll try. Please be patient with me.

To make up for the lack of updates, I've decided to spice things up a bit in this chapter *grins* I hope you guys like it!

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**3 – Playing with Fire **

Sakura felt her head hit with the back of the wall, but barely noticed let alone cared for that matter. She didn't care she was squeezed into such a confined space, where the lighting was insufficient and the temperature kept rising to almost sizzling rates. Her mind was elsewhere, completely far away at the moment—not a single, coherent thought could register to her.

All that she could smell, feel, think and breathe was Uzumaki Naruto as he pushed her against the wall of the closet, his mouth rough and yet gentle as they continued their assault on her lips. Meanwhile his hands strayed up and down the side of her arms, her back and her waist; nearly scorching her skin with the heated intensity that could have very well been a thousand suns. He tasted like ramen and alcohol—he _reeked _of alcohol and soap and wind—not particularly the greatest combination but it overwhelmed and swarmed her until it was all she could register through the haze of feeling and heat.

During their exchanges, she had stripped him of his headband and jacket—felt damn smug over the look of brief surprise that ran across his face and in turn he had yanked down the zipper of her shirt so low that her bra could be seen peaking through the fabric. She remembered the look on his face as he did it.

"Wow," he said, his voice low and deep; his smile lop-sided and lazy, and yet his eyes betrayed the casualness of his tone and features—they were like blue fire, so hungry and fierce and heated, and they were roaming every inch of her like a lion eying its prey. When they finally rested on hers, his smile widened, "You look _amazing_, Sakura-chan."

But the intensity of his eyes spoke of other things—things that left Sakura's mouth run dry, her legs weak in the knees and her stomach do a series of very impressive flip-flops. She should have hit him or at least say something more dignifying than her silence and a blushing face, but she couldn't find any lecherous intentions, no hidden insincerity, in his expression or in his words. He looked and sounded genuine, even if he _was _possibly seeing two of her at the moment. And before she knew it, he was kissing her again, harder and fiercer than ever, and she was lost to it—lost to him.

Sakura didn't think it was possible for one to be kissed so… intently before; that such a kiss could literally steal her breath away. She didn't have a word to call what she was feeling, only that it was wonderful—too, too wonderful—and she didn't want it to stop.

As if sensing her thoughts, his lips moved its way to her jaw, kissing that spot below her ear before trailing languorous kisses down the length of her neck. Sakura, who had her arms wrapped around his shoulders and her fingers weaved between the gold locks of hair this entire time, instantly tugged him closer; her grip unrelenting but somehow Naruto didn't mind. He seemed to latch onto her reaction and she could feel the contours of his face move in what she thought might have been a smile. A moan involuntarily escaped from the back of her throat when she realized that his mouth wasn't relinquishing and was drawing lower and lower.

_Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God_, was the only thing that kept running through her mind as her knees weakened again. Naruto pushed her further against the wall until Sakura could scarcely breathe. This was going too far, she thought helplessly. Things weren't supposed to go this far. She was only supposed to kiss him. It had been only one simple dare.

"_You want me to __**what**__?" said Sakura, her jaw dropping. Had she heard wrong? Kami, she hoped she did. For a minute, she thought that maybe Ino had just asked her to—_

"_Do I have to spell it out for you, Forehead Girl?" said Ino with a roll of her eyes. "I said: I dare you to have your first kiss with Naruto." _

"_But—"_

_And at this, Sakura spared a quick glance at her blond team-mate, who, at the moment, was having a drinking match with Kiba. Or was it a shouting match? The two were getting pretty rowdy—even Naruto, who could probably burn through a gallon of alcohol (maybe even two) without getting so much as a slur to his voice, was now starting to sway in his chair with less than the usual coordination. _

_Leave it Tsunade-shishou to have a stock of booze lying around which could immobilize Konoha's most hyperactive ninja. Heck, Sakura was surprised how easy it was for him and Kiba to even __**steal**__ a couple boxes from Tsunade's own personal storage at the Tower. _

_However, she still couldn't walk up to Naruto and start kissing him—her very __**first**__ kiss no doubt. That would be weird, she thought as she stared harder at the back of his head. It wouldn't be like all those times he had asked her out on dates (even though she had agreed to almost all of them) or when she'd sleep over at his house and share the same bed as him—this was something else entirely. This was different. _

_She turned back to Ino. "But he's __**Naruto**__," she said, as if that statement alone was enough to shed some light on things. _

_Ino failed to see the significance. "So?" _

_Sakura scowled. "So Ino-Pig… I can't kiss him," she said impatiently. "He's like my best friend. It'll be weird. I can't do it."_

"_Gee… Sakura, I just said you only had to __**kiss**__ him not auction your __**freedom**__ to him," said Ino with another roll of her eyes. "Sheesh."_

"_It's __**my**__ first kiss," Sakura muttered. "Shouldn't it be with someone I'm actually attracted to?" _

"_What's wrong with Naruto?" said Ino curiously, glancing over at the other blond shinobi. "He's attractive enough, wouldn't you say? And I've seen the way you look at him sometimes—don't deny it," she said when Sakura opened her mouth to do just that. _

_Sakura was reluctant to admit it but Ino did have a point. It wasn't that Naruto wasn't attractive—he was rather handsome and she definitely thought he had a nice smile—but still, he was __**Naruto**__. The very same Naruto who had all but declared he'd be Hokage, who'd rush head-first into danger without a second pause—the very same Naruto who'd stuffed his face with ramen, who was relentless and determined and strong… the same Naruto who defied the odds, who made others hope and believe in him… the same Naruto who held her and comforted her—who was __**there**__ for her through thick and thin. She couldn't… she just couldn't. _

_Unable to help herself, Sakura looked at him. His shouting match with Kiba was reduced to a staring contest—or a glaring contest more like, judging from the look of ire on both their faces. It made Sakura's feeling of uncertainty magnify tenfold. _

_Ino must have seen the look on her face, because she said, "He's too drunk to stand on his own two feet, let alone kiss you back."_

"_It's different," Sakura insisted. _

"_Look at it this way. If it'll make you feel better you can always knock him out afterwards—it's not like he'll remember a thing anyway." _

"_You're suggesting I take advantage of my poor team-mate's inebriated state?" said Sakura scowled. "Have you no sense of morality?" _

"_Hey, I'm just concerned that's all. You're sixteen-years-old and you haven't even been __**kissed **__yet." Sakura winced. Ino was making it sound a lot worse than it probably was. "Don't you ever wonder what it's like? Just go and find out?"_

"_No," Sakura lied. _

"_Here," said Ino, shoving another glass of sake towards her. "Drink up, get drunk—do whatever makes you sleep at night. Just get those virgin lips of yours kissed already." _

"_No," said Sakura petulantly, pushing the glass back, "I can't kiss him. I __**won't**__." _

"_Sakura," said Ino, who was now getting impatient, "either you kiss him or you make out with Lee, how's that?"_

And that had been that.

After chugging down a couple glasses—make that three—and shooting her friend a death glare (something that did little to faze Ino, who simply smiled widely at her and waved. "Be sure to make a big show, Sakura!" she said, giggling), Sakura grudgingly made her way to where Naruto and Kiba were seated.

When she'd approached their table, the two were locked in a heated gaze—well as heated as it could get with the two of them swaying in their chairs like they were about to fall off.

Sakura spared another glance at Ino, whose smile—if possible—seemed more devious than ever. Sakura made a face at her and turned away. Not wanting to get cold feet, she quickly cut to the chase.

"Naruto," she said, her tone all business-like, but underneath it all she was anxious, "I need to speak to you."

"Can't it wait, Sakura-chan?" said Naruto, who still had yet to blink, although she could tell it was taking a great deal of effort not to do so. "I'm in the middle of something."

"Well… it's important," she explained with a huff. "It can't wait."

"Okay. Just until I beat Kiba then," he said with a confident grin.

Kiba snorted. "You're about to pass out, Uzumaki," he said. "Just admit you've lost already."

"Speak for yourself, Inuzuka," Naruto retorted.

The glaring match continued.

Sakura's patience level, on the other hand, was rapidly growing thin. _Idiots_, she thought with irritation when she was still standing there ten minutes later. This was stupid, she thought. More than a little fed up by this point, Sakura decided to take matters into her own hands.

She pushed the table that was between the two boys with a swift kick of her boots. Then she slid in front of Naruto's line of vision and blocked Kiba's view.

"Hey—what are…you…" he trailed off when Sakura suddenly nudged herself between his legs and leaned into him, her arms at his shoulders, and their faces so close she could practically see her reflection in his eyes.

"S-Sakura-chan?" he choked. "What are you—"

"We need to talk," she said sweetly into his ear. She could hear his intake of breath. "Right now."

When she pulled away, Naruto was frozen to his seat, his face similar to that of a fish caught out of water—he didn't even look like he was _breathing_ anymore. Even Kiba was gawking at her.

Sakura turned to Ino, as if to say, 'How's that?' and was thoroughly incensed when Ino looked almost bored.

"Well? Keep going!" Ino mouthed, looking exasperated when Sakura just stood there, glaring at her.

Sakura forced herself to smile as she turned on her heels. If Ino wants a show, she thought, grinding her teeth together, then I'll give her a show.

She made sure she flaunted the sway of her hips and insinuated the length of her legs as she walked because she just _knew_ he would not be able to resist—she could practically _feel_ Naruto's eyes watching her every move like a hawk.

She looked over her shoulder and sure enough Naruto was staring at her, his blue eyes a moving in and out of focused and his lips thin and taut. She gave him a mega-watt smile that pretty much had him drooling. "Well? Are you coming or what?"

Naruto shot up like a board at once. He walked mechanically, his arms and legs stiff—as if he were a man possessed. She didn't even think he was watching where he was going anymore.

"S-So what did you want to talk to me about, Sakura-chan?" said Naruto, a little sheepishly.

Sakura slid her around his neck and smiled. "Let's go somewhere else," she said, jerking her chin in the house. "I want to talk to you… _alone_."

"Alone?" he repeated, his voice cracking. "As in… just you and me? That kind of alone?"

"Yes, Naruto, that kind of alone," she said, a tad amused.

He didn't move or appeared to be breathing for that matter.

"Naruto, breathe," she ordered, silently alarmed that his heart had stopped beating.

He opened his mouth and did just that.

Sakura merely rolled her eyes, grabbed his hand and proceeded to drag him off someplace. As soon as they were secluded and Sakura was sure no one had followed them, she'd yanked open the first door she came to and shoved him inside.

Naruto tumbled backwards into the dark room, his head colliding into the back wall from the force of her push as well as his own lack of coordination. He would have slid to the floor if he had not caught himself in the last minute.

"Ow…" he mumbled, rubbing the spot on his head that he'd bumped. "Hey, what was that for, Sakura-chan? And what were you—"he broke off when she climbed through the threshold and shut the door behind her. Their visions took awhile to adjust to the darkness, and while Sakura could not see his face quite as clearly yet she could imagine his uncertainty and his confusion. "Uh… Sakura-chan? What are you doing?"

Now that she had actually gotten him here, Sakura was still hesitant to advance to the next step. And the more she thought about it, the more nervous she became. The temptation to pull the door open and leave was fairly tempting, but she didn't think she could stomach Ino's looks of haughty awareness any more than she could tolerate kissing Rock Lee. And she supposed having her first kiss with Naruto didn't seem as horrible in comparison.

"Sakura-chan?" This time he sounded concerned. "Are you—"

"I'm fine," she said, cutting him off.

He was silent for a moment before he spoke again. "Then what's the matter? You were acting so weird before and now you're all quiet. And I don't understand why we couldn't just talk outside instead of in a…wait. Is this a _closet_?"

For someone who'd just drunk a whole tank of Tsunade's alcoholic beverages, he sure was observant. Sakura supposed that the Kyuubi's charka must already be burning through the intoxication. She had to act fast; otherwise her dignity would not be the only thing on the line.

"Sakura-chan?" said Naruto and she felt him take a step closer. Sakura noticed how small the space of this closet was. He was so close to her she could smell the soap of his shirt and the warmth of his breath. She knew if she took one more step she'd be able to touch his lips.

"I'm fine," she said quickly, stepping away from him. She was mildly surprised by how fast her own heart had picked up speed. "Just… give me a moment, will you?"

Naruto didn't say anything nor did he move from his spot.

"Okay," she said once she willed her heart to beat at a more moderate pace. "I know this is going to be al little crazy and maybe a little awkward after, but just bear with me a little, okay? I definitely have a point for all this."

She felt him nod his head, albeit reluctantly.

She took another deep breath. Her face crumpled a little under the pressure. "Ugh… I still can't believe I'm actually going to do this…" she muttered to herself.

"Um…" was Naruto's confused reply.

"Okay," she said again and resumed the spot she'd been before. "So here is the thing: I've never been kissed before."

Naruto choked. "Huh—what?"

"I said I've never been kissed before," she repeated thickly. "I guess those three years of training under Tsunade have made me celibate or something. I don't know." She shrugged. "Anyways, when I told Ino-pig this she made a really big deal out of it." Sakura raised her eyes to meet his. "She dared me to kiss you."

He choked again. "She—what?"

"That was my exact reaction too," she mumbled.

Sakura was kind of glad that they had minimum lighting—she didn't want him to know that she was blushing. But he was being awfully quiet and that was saying something.

She hesitated for a moment. "Naruto?"

"Yeah?" There was a slight hitch to his voice.

"Are you still alive?" She poked him in the stomach.

He coughed. "Just barely," he said. "But go on, I'm listening."

"Well, I didn't want to kiss you—"she thought she felt his shoulders slump in disappointment, "but that was only because I didn't want to make things awkward between us."

"So why did you agree then?" he mumbled, still sounding dejected.

"It was either you or Lee," she said flatly. "And I'm not completely comfortable about kissing the latter."

"Let me get this straight," he said, slowly. "You've never been kissed before." Sakura nodded. "Ino dared you to kiss me and if you'd refused you'd have to kiss Fuzzy-Brows instead." Sakura nodded again. "So you only chose me because I happen to be the option that was less unappealing?"

"No!" she said, horrified that he'd think that. "It's not like that at all. Look," she said, "I realized Ino was right. In her own stupid way she was right. I'm a kunoichi, Naruto. I don't have the luxury of waiting. I have to grasp what ever moment or opportunity I get because it might never happen again. I've never been kissed before and I just want to experience that feeling—even if it's just once." She looked at his face, determined. "And… and I'd rather it be with you, Naruto. No," she said with a shake of her head, "I _want_ it to be with you."

Naruto, again, fell into silence but it was short-lived. "You really… want me to be your first kiss?" he asked, and she could have sworn he sounded almost hopeful... in awe.

Sakura nodded, cheeks red. "Yes," she whispered.

He expelled a breath. "…Okay."

"Okay?" said Sakura because she didn't think he would agree right away. "Really?"

She heard him chuckle. "Did I stutter, Sakura-chan?" he teased. "I said okay."

"Hm," she said, her face reddening. They were silent for a moment, neither of them moving. "Just promise me one thing though," she said quietly. He waited. "Promise me… just promise me that whatever happens you'll still be my best friend."

"You know that will never change, Sakura-chan," said Naruto softly.

Sakura felt relieved.

She reached out, one shaky hand grazing the side of face—she could feel the lines of his whiskers brush gently over the pads of her fingers. And then Naruto's own hand enveloped over her own. His hand was so much bigger than hers but they were as gentle and as pleasantly warm as the rest of him. He pressed her hand closer to his face and leaned into her touch.

"You're shaking," he noted.

"I know," was all she found herself saying before she raised herself up on tiptoes—he was much, much taller than her now—and kissed him.

His arms came around her waist and drew her closer, nearly lifting her off her feet. She squeaked in surprise, her face heating up like fire. She placed both hands on his shoulders to push him away but she felt his hand cup the side of her face and his mouth start to _move_ from underneath hers—responding. And it was like everything else—Ino, her surroundings, the awkwardness, all of it—had faded away. Sakura ceased trying to resist and leaned into his embrace.

His lips were soft, like velvet, so gentle and soft—and warm. Somehow, everything about Naruto was warm. She supposed it was only natural that his kisses would be warm too.

When he pulled away to allow for a chance to breathe, Sakura felt dizzy and unbalanced. She was sure if Naruto had not been holding her she'd have slid onto the floor in a pile of goo. But most of all, she was overcome by a sense of loss; as though something vitally important was missing—had been missing this entire time—and she'd only just discovered it.

He was watching her—she could feel his gaze on her. And when she looked up she was struck by how clear and blue his eyes were—they were fierce and intense and yet cautious and guarded.

She gave him a small, timid smile; her cheeks burning red again. "One more time," she murmured, for once a little shy. "Please."

Naruto looked only momentarily startled by her claim, but then his blue eyes were out of focus again—and they were sizzling like blue fire and lightning. He didn't breathe a single word as he ducked his head and sought her mouth, just simply kissed her like he'd been doing it for years. Sakura closed her eyes and let herself fall. She knew she was playing with fire—knew if she wasn't careful, she'd get _burned_, but it was already too late for her; it was too late to go back.

Kissing Naruto felt a lot like feeling complete again or like breathing—so natural and yet so crucial to her existence; something she can't quite imagine ever being without.

And she wanted more of it. More and more and more…

She wasn't sure if she had said this out loud or if he had simply read her mind, but Naruto responded in kind. His kisses grew less reserved and cautious and more fiery and desperate; however he continued to be gentle and respectful with her. He didn't force anything on her and always met her lips with a silent question: Are you okay? Is this okay? Can I continue? And without words, Sakura would tell him her answer: yes, yes, yes. It was yes every time.

She didn't know when he started to mean this much to her. This thing—whatever it was—certainly hadn't been there a few minutes ago. Or maybe it had been there; biding its time; waiting for the right moment to reveal itself. Maybe she'd known all along and had never put much thought into it until now.

One thing was for sure: he wanted her. And Sakura wanted him—she was amazed that this was the actual truth and how calmly and matter-of-fact she was handling it. She wanted him, as simple as that.

Sakura was hardly aware of how much time had passed but they must have been gone a pretty long time because just as Naruto had unzipped the rest of her shirt, there was a sudden knock at the door that startled the both of them.

"Ignore it," said Naruto as he went back to kissing her neck. "Maybe they'll go away…"

Sakura was tempted to do just that, but unfortunately the person at the door wasn't having any of that. The knocking grew more persistent.

"I know you two are in there." It was Ino. She sounded both amused and annoyed. "It's almost two and everyone is getting ready to head out."

"She's right," Naruto whispered as he stopped what he was doing. It seemed to take all of his effort to do so. Even Sakura had to force herself not to pull him right back. His smile was half-hearted. "I guess play time's over."

Sakura swallowed as the full extent of their actions finally dawned to her. "Right," she said as she stepped back from him; already she could feel the loss of warmth. She tried giving him a smile but it was hard when she was also fighting down disappointment. "Well, that was… fun," she said, laughing slightly. Wow was more like it.

"Couldn't have your first kiss be mediocre," he replied, grinning smugly.

Sakura blushed. "Right," she said as she tucked a lock of her hair behind her ears. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," he said. He laughed uneasily at the silence that followed. "Hey, what ever happened to there being no awkward moments between us?"

"I know," said Sakura quickly. "It's just that I…"

"You what?" he said when she didn't say anything after.

As he stared at her, Sakura wanted to tell him of her change of heart; that she wasn't sure she could go back to being _just _his best friend anymore—that she didn't think it was possible to act the same around him. Not when that kiss had knocked her world, had changed her—it felt _right_ for goodness sakes. _Too_ right that it was kind of scary. She wanted to know if it was possible, wanted to ask him if maybe, just maybe, his world had been changed too and that maybe he felt the same?

Another knock at the door broke the moment.

"Sakura, I've given you more than enough time to shove your tongue down his throat—"Sakura and Naruto both choked on air, "—so get out of my closet already before I make you!"

"Fine, fine, we're coming out!" she snapped, avoiding Naruto's gaze. She practically ripped open the door and glared, red face, at Ino, who was grinning from ear-to-ear.

"About time," she said casually. Sakura's glare hardened. "Oh, and I see it's pointless to ask if you if you'd liked it or not." She pointedly stared at Sakura's open shirt.

If it was possible, Sakura's face went even redder. She whirled on the spot and quickly did the zipper back up.

"Aww… no need to feel embarrassed, Forehead," Ino teased.

"Shut up, Ino-Pig," she said, although it didn't sound entirely as outraged as she'd liked.

Naruto, who was feeling awkward standing between the two of them and listening to the conversation, cleared his throat. Both girls turned to look at him expectantly.

"Uhh… I'm gonna go now, so uhh… see you guys around." He nodded at Ino when he passed her. "Sakura-chan," he said and Sakura reacted instantly to the sound of her name. He was giving her a strange look—one that was mixed with fire and lightning and warmth, his eyes out of focused and yet so entirely aware of what he was looking at. He looked as if he wanted to tell her something—before it was gone again, just as fast… like it was never there. Instead he said, "I'll see you around, 'kay?" almost as a lame excuse.

Sakura tried her best to swallow again but it was difficult. It was like he was kissing her again—taking her breath away or making her heart stand still.

"Yeah," she said with a nod. "See you."

He gave her one last smile before turning on his heel.

As soon as he was gone, Ino spoke—although quite frankly, Sakura forgot she was even there, "Oh man," she said, staring at Sakura, almost pitifully, "you're in trouble, Forehead. Big, big trouble. "

_Yes_, thought Sakura as she stared ahead, _I know_.


	4. Skin Deep

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Author's Note: I apologize for the long wait. I won't divulge on why this was so delayed, but let's just say life kept getting in the way. Also, **people should read my end notes** after this because it's pretty important.

Anyways, I wrote this some time ago, so this is pretty old.

Well, enjoy.

* * *

**4 – Skin Deep**

"Naruto," said Sakura, staring in disbelief. "What. The. Hell. Happened. To. You?"

Naruto laughed nervously, his expression a mix between annoyance and embarrassment.

"Well, Kakashi-sensei didn't like the fact that I don't have anything resembling a vegetable in my fridge so he thought to ... provide me some." He made a face that clearly told Sakura his sentiments to the kind favor.

"Okay," said Sakura slowly. "Go on."

"I didn't like any of that green stuff. But there was one that I thought was okay. It was long and orange and... kind of crunchy," he explained, offhandedly.

"You mean a carrot?" Sakura deadpanned. Things were beginning to make sense now.

"Yeah! That's what it's called," said Naruto, nodding his head. "A carrot. Anyway, it wasn't so bad. So I just kept eating those. And well, now I'm sort of, uhhhh..."

"Orange?" supplied Sakura wearily. Naruto just sank back in his seat, ashamed. She sighed in exasperation. "Oh, Naruto, you're such an idiot sometimes."

"Hey, no one told me eating that stuff would make me look like _this_!" said Naruto, pouting. "Besides Kakashi-sensei said that if I didn't start stocking up on vegetables he'd refuse to teach me the rest of the Element Manipulation technique—can you believe that? He's such a prude! I bet he only said that to get out of training!"

"Well, lay off the carrots for a little while and your skin should be back to normal soon enough," said Sakura, who didn't bother to respond to his over-zealous spheal. She waved him off. "You can go now."

"Wait," said Naruto, pausing mid-rant, "...you're not going to do anything?"

"Nope. Change of skin pigmentation isn't abnormal when you eat too many carrots," said Sakura with a roll of her eyes.

"So wait, wait, wait," said Naruto, still bewildered. "You're not going to heal me or whatever? _Nothing_?"

"No. Why would I need to do that? You're not hurt," said Sakura pointedly.

"B-But I'm _orange_!" Naruto sputtered helplessly, squeezing at his cheeks. "_Orange_, Sakura-chan, _O-R-A-N-G-E!_"

Sakura put her hands to her hips and scowled. "And whose fault is that?"

Naruto was beginning to look desperate. "But I can't walk around Konoha looking like, well, an _orange_!"

"Technically, you ate a _carrot_. And for God's sake, Naruto, orange is practically your _trademark_ color--what's the difference if you start wearing it on your skin?"

He groaned. "No, no, no, no. I can't fight Akatsuki looking like this! They'll probably be all, 'hey, didn't we have orders to capture the Jinchuuriki? Where the hell did this carrot come from?'—"

"Naruto!"

But he wasn't listening. Instead, his face took on a completely new expression of horror.

"What the hell is _Sasuke_ going to think?" he said, full on panicking now. "Oh. My. God. There's no way he's going to ever take me seriously after this. My reputation is going to be destroyed! I'll be known as the 'Orange-Dobe' from now on—I'm doomed!!!"

Sakura just slapped her forehead.

* * *

A/N: Also, this is very **important** **so please read this**.

After thinking about it for a long while I've decided to convert this fic into a general NaruSaku drabbles fic.

So instead of keeping the drabbles strictly in the _Now and Then _universe, I've decided to mix things up and write drabbles that are not in that timeline. You'll probably still get some drabbles from the _Now and Then_ universe—I'll definitely be writing about that from time to time—and you will also get others that are entirely independent, like this one for example. From the previous chapters, it could be seen that way anyway, so there shouldn't be any confusion.

Anyways, I hope that clears everything up.


	5. Catch Me When I Fall

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Author's Note: Yeah. I read the latest chapter and let's just say the fandom has me very irritated at the moment. I'm sick of the endless drama and the stupid fan-wars going around because of it. Just _stop_ already.

I'd also prefer not to have _any_ fan-wars posted in my reviews please. Refrain from talking about the chapter, period. I don't care. I'd rather not read anything about it anymore if that's not too much to ask. If you really want to start wank, do it somewhere else. But if I see so much as one 'NaruHina is going to happen because of…' or 'Sakura's a bitch!" remark in any of my comments I will seriously destroy you. I already asked nicely.

Anyways, this is just a drabble I wrote today for an LJ meme. I just touched it up a little before posting. This takes place pre-Time Skip. So Naruto and Sakura are around 12-13 years old.

Well, enjoy.

* * *

**5 – Catch Me When I Fall**

He didn't need to see bubblegum hair or search for deep emerald eyes to recognize it was her. It was automatic from the way his heart picked up speed every time he was within reach of her—he could just _feel _it.

"Sakuraaaa-chaaan!" he said, calling out to her.

She looked up, momentarily startled by the volume of his voice before looking mildly irritated when she saw that it was him. "Baka, you need to have a better way of getting my attention," she said, once he approached her, however, she didn't look too angry.

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Heh... sorry about that, Sakura-chan," he said. "So what brings you here?" He frowned a little. "Why are you all by yourself?"

Right when he said this, it was like a switch had gone off. And he just knew from the way her lashes cast downward and pink lips became nothing more than a thin line across her face that she was upset about something. Or about _someone_. Naruto didn't need to be a genius to know who that was.

And like always, the thought of her hurting and sad made something inside Naruto hurt too. It also made him angry. Normally, he would have found the bastard and made him pay, but instead he found himself reaching out and grabbing Sakura by the hand.

"Naruto—" she said, eyes going wide. "What are you—"

"C'mon, Sakura-chan, let's go somewhere!" he said, tugging her along.

"Go _where_ exactly?" she said, sounding suspicious.

"You'll see," he said, grinning. "It's a surprise!"

"You better not be taking me to Ichiraku's, Naruto," she warned. "That wouldn't be very surprising."

Naruto chuckled. "No, this place is even _better_," he said, causing her brows to shoot up her hairline. "I promise… you'll love it."

Something better than Ichiraku? She thought. Now this she _had_ to see.

He had made her close her eyes though, reminding her that it was meant to be a surprise.

"What if I bump into something?" she said, feeling somewhat inadequate and nervous without the confidence of her own vision to lead her safely.

However, she heard Naruto laugh softly. "I'd never let that happen," he said with absolute certainty. "I'll protect you."

She couldn't say anything after that. And while she complained some more about it and threatened to beat him up if he winded up making her walk into something, she trusted him completely. Just him and the feel of his hand over hers—it was comforting. She had never felt anything so warm and so reassuring as being led blindly by the hand by Naruto. She surprised herself upon the realization that being with Naruto had always made her feel safe. It was always like that with him. She could let herself fall ten feet off the Earth and be positive he'd be there at the bottom to catch her.

It made her wonder why Sasuke never exuded such warmth and assurance like Naruto did. It was a little strange and disappointing… how everything she wanted from Sasuke she always received from Naruto.

But just thinking about Sasuke and his coldness towards her this afternoon suddenly made the unpleasant feeling she felt in her heart earlier spread, but was only stopped when Naruto's hand gave her fingers a quick but gentle squeeze—as though he could read her mind and understood her thoughts, all without saying anything. That was another thing about Naruto that surprised her; it was how well he knew her. Just _how_ did he know her so well? She couldn't fathom it, but whenever she needed someone… he was there, like he somehow knew she needed him.

"Okay, we're here," said Naruto's voice by her ear, causing her to jump. "You can open your eyes now."

As she did, she nearly gasped. They were on top of the Hokage monument and from here they could see the whole village. And in the distance, the sun was setting and its beauty took Sakura's breath away.

"What do you think?" he asked, watching her expression like a kid waiting for Christmas hour to strike.

And for a moment, Sakura forgot her own sadness. "It's… beautiful," she said, breathless.

Naruto grinned. "Knew you'd love it," he said, looking immensely proud of himself. "This place is great. I used to always come here," he said, sobering suddenly as he took a seat.

Sakura took a seat beside him carefully. "You did?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yeah… whenever I got lonely," he said with a solemn smile to himself. "It always made me feel better. I'd stand up here and just tell myself, 'Someday everyone's going to look up to me and acknowledge me' and that always made me feel better somehow. It would get me through another day."

Sakura looked at her hands. She never knew… had never thought… She was always so concerned about how she looked and what the best way to get Sasuke to notice her... it never occurred to her that maybe Naruto had faced even harder problems than she had while growing up. She'd taken a lot of things for granted, she realized.

"Why did you take me up here anyway?" she asked finally.

"'Cause I wanted to see you smile," he said, looking at her shyly. "This place always managed to cheer me up whenever I was down. So I thought it might do the same for you. The Sakura-chan I know best is the one who's always smiling."

Sakura felt her cheeks flush and the warmth in her chest spread like wildfire. She didn't understand how such a simple and honest statement could make her feel so cherished. So important. So _loved_. No one had ever gone out of their way to make her feel better, let alone to make her _smile_. That was another strange and yet completely unique and wonderful thing about Naruto: his uncanny ability to make a rainy day… into a sunny one.

Then, remembering her embarrassment, she looked away.

"Baka... saying stuff like that with a straight face." But her lips had curled into a smile. He was just so good at making her laugh and smile again. It just came naturally when she was around him.

Absentmindedly, she reached over again and took his hand in hers. Like she'd expected it would be, it was so very, very warm. "Thank you."

The squeeze of her fingers was the only answer she needed.


	6. Lineage

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Summary: All lonely children wonder about what their parents were like. Naruto was no exception.

Author's Note: This is an old fic. Really old. But I've decided to post it for the sake of posting. I hope you enjoy~

**Spoilers** from ch 440 if you're not on par with the manga.

* * *

**6 - Lineage **

Naruto had often wondered what his parents were like. What they looked like or acted like. What it would have been like if they were actually here. He never knew them. Never heard about them before. All his life it'd just seemed like he'd always been alone. But he'd see other kids with their parents and it made him wonder about his own.

He used to carry on fake conversations with them in his head. Used to envision their faces, even though he didn't know the first thing about what they looked like. Maybe his mother had his eyes? Or maybe his dad? Maybe his mother was an extrovert just like him? The possibilities were endless. It was different each time.

Every time he would come home to an empty apartment, he'd try to imagine them at the doorway, greeting him with smiles, open embraces and questions about his day and what he learned at school. They were always there. To say good morning to, to say good night to, to say I love you to. None of it was ever said out loud, but in his head he never failed to hear them. And for a while, it was enough. Pretending was enough.

Until he finally met his father. His real father. It felt surreal to be staring at the same shade of blue eyes as his and the same smile. It brought instant tears to his eyes.

"You will find the answer. I believe in you."

Hearing that, knowing that... made up for years of solitude, of false conversations and imaginings. His father was _proud_ of him.

Their time had been short, but to Naruto it meant the whole world.

"Thank you... dad."


End file.
